Andiamo! Citalia Magazine Spring/Summer 2023

I absolutely loved the Sansevero Chapel in Naples. It’s a beautiful
chapel, holding the Veiled Christ statue. Christ is draped in what’s
like a delicate sheet of gossamer. I’ve seen Michelangelo’s David and
thought this was on a par!
We visited the UNESCO World Heritage site of Pompeii, which was
great with all the history and as you’d expect, hundreds of other visitors.
The ancient archaeological park of Paestum was
stunning and so well preserved. We went early in
the morning when hardly anyone else was there,
which made such a difference. I’ve been to the
pyramids in Egypt and The Forum in Rome, yet
I was blown away by how perfectly preserved the
temples were. I’m sure it helped that we visited
on a day with beautiful blue skies!
The Amalfi Coast absolutely lived up to expectations. I thought
Ravello was lovely and was so worth the journey even though it was
hard to get to - you don’t get anywhere quickly with the curving cliff
roads. We had a great wine tasting evening here.
We also walked the famous Lemon Path. None of us are particularly
super-fit and found it quite hard going, especially as it was boiling
hot, but the scent of citrus was fabulous and the views were really
spectacular, so I’m glad we went!
We went for a limoncello tasting with the famous artisanal producer
Carlo Mansi, in which we tried pistachio and melon liqueurs. He’s
about 85 years old now and was fantastic, chatting away to us and
letting us have photos with him.
My favourite experience was going for a cooking class
at a small farm near Paestum. We picked our own
vegetables and learnt how to make authentic pizza with
a Baronessa, before sitting down to eat our creations
with her, which was supplemented with other dishes.
The Baronessa is a fascinating individual who was
obviously a socialite in New York and Italy back in the
day, and shared many interesting stories with us.
I thought Amalfi Cathedral was wonderful, not least because there
was a wedding taking place, and I got a timely photo of the bride and
groom on the steps. I’ve also always wanted to go to Positano, as I
was mesmerised by how the houses seemingly balance on the cliffs,
and it was just like in the photos. We went to a famous cake shop and
sat outside the front enjoying the stunning views.
Sadly, we couldn’t go to Capri the day we were meant to as the
weather was too rough for the boat ride, but I’m glad that Citalia
took our safety seriously, and they refunded us all the money for the
activity. As it happens, we were still able to visit Capri ourselves when
we were in Ischia, which was a bonus. We took the cable car to the
highest point of the island, which was equally terrifying and excellent.
From Ischia, we also took a book to the small
island of Procida, which is one of the most
beautiful places I’ve ever been to in my life!
The best meal we had was undoubtedly at the agriturismo we stayed
at in Cilento, Granaio dei Casabella. Dinner here was phenomenal and
served like an Italian version of tapas with burrata, buffalo mozzarella,
cold meats, parma ham, padron peppers, fresh Cilento white figs,
and various meats, including porchetta that came from their own
organically-reared pigs. We also had a lovely farewell meal at a local
agriturismo at the end of our tour, which was also very good!
All in all, it was a very well-balanced holiday, and it is testament to
Citalia that four of us are going on the Sicily Exclusive Escorted Tour
this year, along with one of the couples who we made friends with on
our last tour!
Citalia’s Exclusive
Small Escorted Tours
Let us bring the stories behind Italy’s cities, towns, and villages to
life! Our bespoke group tours are personal and immersive, with
a maximum of 18 people on each one, making them ideal for
solo travellers, couples, or small groups of friends. Delve deeper
with our unique hands-on experiences that will provide you
with memories of a lifetime. All our escorted tours include your
accommodation, selected meals and transfers, and knowledgeable,
professional guides, so that all you need to do is show up!
Citalia's Exclusive Escorted tours start from £2,235 per person for 7 nights. Speak to one of our ​Personal Travel Planners on 01293 765061
Spring/Summer 2023
Andiamo!